Arike Ogunbowale: From Milwaukee to the WNBA Stardom

By Jayson Panganiban July 24, 2024 08:15

Photo by MICHAEL GONZALES/NBAE

Born on March 2, 1997, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Arike's path to stardom began in a place known for its rich sports culture and passionate fans. As the youngest of three children to Nigerian parents, Yolanda and Gregory Ogunbowale, Arike's name—which in Yoruba means a child you treasure, cherish, pamper, and love—foreshadowed the bright future ahead of her.

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Family and Upbringing

Athletics run in the family of Arike. Her mother, Yolanda, played softball at DePaul University, and her father, Gregory, was an athlete who served in the Nigerian military before playing college soccer and rugby. Her brother, Dare, is a running back for the Houston Texans of the National Football League NFL and played college football at Wisconsin. Arike is also the cousin of former NBA player Diamond Stone.

Early Life and Education

She later completed her education at Our Redeemer Lutheran School in Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, winning a national title with the girls' team during her senior year. She played on what was then The 7th Grade Girls Tournament of Champions and earned the MVP title of the event.

Ogunbowale would continue to play high school basketball at Divine Savior Holy Angels High School (DSHA) in Milwaukee, WI. DSHA has excelled in many sports, and Arike has exceeded their expectations. During the 2014-15 season, Ogunbowale averaged 27.2 points en route to leading DSHA to a Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Division I state championship. In the semi-final, she scored 55 points in a win over an undefeated team. Arike received All-American honors, McDonald's High School All-America in 2015, and Wisconsin Miss Basketball her senior year after a standout high school career.

Basketball Journey

Arike's talent for basketball shone through from a young age. She was one of the best young players in the country, a winner at every level and multiple-time national champion. From here, she was able to extend her career as a basketball player at the collegiate level.

Arike began her college career as a student-athlete for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish women's basketball team in 2015. Williams averaged 11.4 points per game as a freshman before becoming the starter at shooting guard her sophomore season.

Her junior season at Notre Dame is where she solidified her star status. She was a 2018 NCAA Division I Women's Basketball Championship team member, helping lead the Fighting Irish to victory in both Final Four and championship games. They made her the 2018 NCAA Tournament Most Outstanding Player. 2018, Arike was also the ACC Female Athlete of the Year co-recipient with Lamar Jackson for Louisville football.

Arike was again instrumental in leading her Notre Dame team to the national championship game, but they fell just short despite her 31 points. She became Notre Dame's all-time leading scorer with 2,626 points. She established a program mark for career field goals, making 439, while starting more consecutive games than any player in school history by opening her first 102 contests.

WNBA Career

Arike was a top high school recruit and enjoyed an illustrious college career at Notre Dame, making her the fifth overall pick in 2019 by the Dallas Wings. She took the WNBA by storm, finishing her rookie season ranked third in scoring and setting a record for any first-year player with four games of 35 points or more. Arike elevated her game to an All-WNBA First Team level in her second WNBA season, leading the league at 22.8 PPG. She also carried her success over in the next years, with WNBA All-Star selections being extended to 2021 and 2024 while she was given both ASG MVP awards.

Arike has also dabbled off the court. She competed on "Dancing With The Stars" in 2018 and debuted her own clothing line in 2020. She continues to be very involved in Milwaukee, running basketball camps for the kids of her city as they grow up through their respective programs.

Arike Ogunbowale's rise from Milwaukee to WNBA stardom is a story that demonstrates her extraordinary talent and work ethic as well as competitive spirit. Coming from an athletically blessed family, Arike has been a standout since high school and college, too, before transcending to become one of the best in the league. With her level of influence and ability to draw new viewers into the game due to who she is both on and off the court, Arike will continue as one of the women's basketball's most intriguing personalities.